Driveway of Fire 2011

This year was our first real Driveway of Fire celebration.  (The name is a spoof of in honor of this.)  Well, we've kind of had Driveway of Fire the past couple of 4ths, but those were just practice runs.  This was the real deal.

I could tell Lance was really excited about this party because he sent the invitations out over a month ago. :) 

In all we had around 12 families come, which meant 24 adults and approximately 297 children.  Everyone brought yummy food to share and we spent the afternoon chatting and eating and trying to help the children not kill themselves on the slip-n-slide or the kid wash. 

Dang it, I forgot to take pictures of the kid wash.  I'll have to do that for another post.  Trust me - it was awesome.

During the party Cole discovered that he likes things that are on sticks, like...

...flags

...popcorn balls

...and suckers.

One sucker in each hand is good, but both in the mouth at the same time is even better.

Because I was too busy gabbing I didn't get very many pictures during the party.  But I did get this cute one of Addy playing under the table.  (Probably hoping someone would drop some food for her, because she is so very obviously starved at home!)

Here's Heidi Fry, aka the Baby Whisperer (she's holding Tess), and Misty South, whose husband was one of the very excited pyrotechnic technicians of the evening. :)

Our friends Sarah and John Roylance and Aaron and Felicia Trembath.

Around the time Tess was born there were four other women in our ward who were also having baby girls.  Three of the five were there last night.  (The other two have already moved.  Sad.)  You would think that in the world of digital photography it would be fairly easy to get a decent picture of three infants.  You would be wrong.  From left to right is Tess (Tessapotomus), Amelia (Millie), and Karen (like Maren with a K).

Karen sticks out her tongue, showing exactly what she thought of this whole picture taking business.

Amelia decides she does NOT want to share the spotlight with anyone.

Tess looks like she's about to smack Amelia in the head.

Apparently, look at the camera means "Look anywhere BUT at the camera... or just close your eyes".

Oh well... no perfect pictures.  But that doesn't really matter when all three of them are such dang cute babies!

Here's somebody else who is dang cute - Lance with his fireworks stash.

Around 8pm the natives (the kiddos) were getting pretty restless.  (Note to self: start DOF an hour later next year.)  So even though it wasn't that dark yet the men decided to start the show.

Yes, that's at the top of the hill in our backyard, so I guess technically we should have called this Back Yard of Fire, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.  (Maybe Lawn of Fire?  Hill of Fire?  Boys Playing With Fire?  Suggestions?)

Spencer loved the fireworks.

Cole did not. 

In fact, I had to hold him for almost the entire show. (Thanks again for holding Tess, Felicia!)  In Cole's defense, some of those fireworks were really big and loud!

The pyros get to work.  (Paul South, Lance, and Tad Colver)

A man in his element.

Some of the kiddos liked to watch the fireworks from the top of the playset.  It was hilarious to listen to their comments and cheers, but my favorite part was when they all booed a firework they didn't like.  "Booo!  Booooooo!  You have displeased us!  We are all sticky and wound up from the pounds of sugar we have digested!  Booooooo!"

Someone brought glow sticks to share, which were a HUGE hit with the 12 and under crowd.

And now, because the only thing better than looking at pictures of fireworks is watching a video of fireworks (haha), for your viewing pleasure...

Actually, the best part of the video is towards the end when Cole (who had mellowed out a bit by then) starts saying "Ta-da!"  It's also pretty fun to watch the guys run away from the lit fireworks. :)

The food was fantastic and the company even better.  We had perfect weather and a fun fireworks show.  I think Driveway of Fire will definitely have to become an annual event for the Madsens!